This invention relates to a division connector in which sub-connector housings are received in a frame.
One conventional division connector is disclosed, for example, in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei8-025359. As shown in FIG. 14, this connector has a plurality of receiving chambers 3 which are provided within a frame 1, and are separated from one another by partition walls 2. The receiving chambers 3 are different in shape from one another, and sub-connector housings 4, corresponding in shape respectively to these receiving chambers, are fitted in the receiving chambers, respectively. A plurality of cavities 5 each for receiving a metal terminal are provided in each of the sub-connector housings 4, and mating connector housings, corresponding in shape respectively to these sub-connector housings, can be fitted in the sub-connector housings, respectively, so that the metal terminals can be connected to mating metal terminals, respectively.
In such a division connector, part of the sub-connector housings is, in some cases, changed into a new shape when effecting a specification change such as a change of a circuit construction. In such a case, not only the sub-connector housing, which is to be changed in shape, and its mating connector housing, but also the frame itself must be replaced by those of new shapes, respectively, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that the production cost increases.
This invention has been made under the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a division connector in which a common frame can be used when effecting a specification change.
The above problem is solved by a division connector of aspect 1 of the present invention comprising a frame including a receiving chamber; metal terminals; sub-connector housings which have cavities for respectively receiving the metal terminals, and are fitted in the receiving chamber in a juxtaposed manner, the sub-connector housings being suitably selected from a sub-connector housing group including a plurality of kinds of housings having different outer dimensions; and withdrawal prevention means for retaining the sub-connector housings in the receiving chamber against withdrawal.
The invention of aspect 2, depending from aspect 1, is characterized in that a plurality of guide grooves, formed in one of an inner wall surface of the receiving chamber and an outer wall surface of the sub-connector housing, are juxtaposed in a direction of juxtaposition of the sub-connector housings, and guide projections, formed on the other, are fitted in the guide grooves to position the sub-connector housing, and to set an arrangement pitch of the guide grooves to an integral multiple of an arrangement pitch of the cavities.
The invention of aspect 3, depending from aspect 1 or aspect 2, is characterized in that in the group of sub-connector housings, an arrangement pitch, serving as a reference, is set with respect to the same kind of cavities, and the outer dimension of the sub-connector housing, having the cavities, in the direction of juxtaposition of the sub-connector housings, is set to an integral multiple of the arrangement pitch serving as the reference.
The invention of aspect 4, depending from anyone of aspects 1 to 3, is characterized in that a positioning wall projects from an inner side surface of the receiving chamber, toward which the sub-connector housings are fitted, and extends in the direction of juxtaposition of the sub-connector housings, and the fitted sub-connector housings can be positioned on opposite sides of the positioning wall facing away from each other in a direction of a thickness of the positioning wall, and the sub-connecting housing group includes sub-connector housings, each having a reception recess for receiving the positioning wall, so that the sub-connector housings can be fitted in straddling relation to the positioning wall.
In the invention of aspect 1, the sub-connector housings are suitably selected from the sub-connector housing group, including the plurality of kinds of housings having different outer dimensions, and a combination of the selected housings are fitted in the receiving chamber in a juxtaposed manner. Therefore, when exchanging the sub-connector housings in accordance with a change of the specification, the same frame can be used, and the production cost can be reduced.
In the invention of aspect 2, the sub-connector housing can be positioned by fitting the lock projections into the guide grooves. The arrangement pitch of the guide grooves is an integral multiple of the arrangement pitch of the cavities, that is, the arrangement pitch of the metal terminals, and therefore even when the sub-connector housing is disposed in any position, the metal terminals are arranged at the predetermined pitch, and the corresponding mating connector housings can be easily constructed.
In the invention of aspect 3, when a plurality of sub-connector housings, having the same kind of cavities, are juxtaposed, with no gap formed therebetween, the metal terminals in the cavities are arranged at the pitch serving as the reference, and therefore the mating connector housings can be easily constructed, and besides a space-utilizing efficiency is enhanced.
In the invention of aspect 4, the positioning wall projects from the inner side surface of the receiving chamber, and therefore the sub-connector housings can be positioned on the opposite sides of this positioning wall facing away from each other in the direction of the thickness thereof. Part of the sub-connector housings have the reception recess for receiving the positioning wall, and therefore can be fitted in straddling relation to the positioning wall.